:90 THE WEEDS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



farm in every direction, until now it is common in every portion of the agri- 

 cultural area of South Australia, a large portion of Victoria, and a consider- 

 able part of Western Australia. Around Balhannah efforts were made by 

 many farmers to keep it off their farms, but gradually all but two gave in. 

 These persistent men were Mr. Thomas Edwards, of Oakbank, and Mr. John 

 -Comae, of Bonney's Flat. Each of these men was determined not to let his 

 laud become infested. Mr. Edwards succeeded until he died, but the property 

 is now as badly infested as any other. Last time 1 saw Mr. Comae's little 

 property (of, I think, 80 acres or so) it was still free from Stinkwort, although 

 it adjoined the farm on which the pest originally appeared. When last I was 

 there Stinkwort still grew freely on the spot where I first saw it. This is 

 mentioned as an answer to those people who say that it is not necessary to 

 bother about Stinkwort, because in time it dies out It certainly becomes 

 weaker, but the dying out is a myth. As the pest began to spread there was 

 a great deal of talk about suppression, eradication, control, and so forth, .lust 

 as there is in New South Wales and Western Australia at the present time. 

 My opinion is that when once it gets a hold, any attempt at eradication is 

 nearly as useless as trying to block back the tide. 



Value as a Fodder. As long as I can remember, discussions have taken 

 place in regard to the utility of Stinkwort. The first man that I can remember 

 having given it a fodder value was one who was too lazy to attempt to try and 

 keep it in check ; he used that argument as a reply to my father, who was 

 urging him, in the interests of the district, to pull or hoe up the Stiukwort on 

 ~his property. All who have claimed a food value for it have not been actuated 

 by the same motive, but some have. I think that the following seems to state 

 the case as to its fodder value : 



(1) No kind of stock will eat Stinkwort freely, and it cannot be classed 

 as a fodder. 



(2) When it is young and growing amongst other feed, cattle, horses, and 

 sheep eat it to a certain extent, and if it is not too plentiful and there are 

 sufficient stock on the paddock they will keep it eaten down ; in some cases, as 

 was mentioned by a well-known Meckering farmer in the Western Mail of 

 15th March, 1018, under the pen-name of " Granite," they may keep it right 



'down for a season. Stinkwort will affect the flavour of milk and butter, and, 

 if eaten freely, the mutton of sheep. 



(3) The majority of people do not appear to exercise ordinary observation 

 when claiming that their stock freely eat Stinkwort. I have heard men make 

 this claim on their farms, and have pointed out to them that the Stinkwort 

 plants only showed evidence of being nibbled, which was proof positive that the 

 stock did not eat it freely. I took a good deal of notice of it when I was 

 Head Master at Roseworthy Agricultural College, from 1894-96, and it was a 

 frequent subject for discussion with farmers. 



Value as a Subsoiler. I look upon Stinkwort as being up till now a useless 

 plant so far as profit to the farmer is concerned. It is objectionable, but I do 

 not think that it is directly noxious, and the only harm it will do to stock is 

 when, owing to a shortage of feed, they eat the well-developed plants and are 

 injured by the accumulation of woody fibre, as mentioned by Mr. F. E. Place. 

 I think, however, that it has some value, especially in heavy lands with strong 

 clay subsoil, because it sends down a deep tap-root, and for this reason it may 

 be considered as one of Nature's subsoilers. In decaying, the roots let in the 

 air, and, of course, furnish a certain amount of humus. Undoubtedly these 

 thick crops of Stinkwort On lands with clay subsoils do a considerable amount 

 towards opening and aerating the soil. 



Control. My opinion is that every farmer should endeavour to keep the 

 plant in check as long as he can do it at reasonable expense. This is best done 

 by pulling and hoeing up the odd plants when they are green. They must not 

 be allowed to stand until the buds are ready to open, because if they are pulled 

 at that time the flowers will open and seeds will be produced sufficiently mature 

 to germinate. When, owing to the neglect of neighbours, Stinkwort becomes 

 too plentiful on a farm to permit of being pulled or hoed, it is best to let it 

 go. It is not a serious trouble to wheat or hay crops ; it is fairly easily dealt 

 Avith on fallows ; it is not actually noxious ; and, as it grows in summer when 



